Coupling device.



PATBNTED Nov. 6,1906.

- C. B. ATKINSON.

COUPLING DEVICE. I LPPLIoATIoN funn oor. zo. 1991s.'`

TUZYJQA J/WE/Vvo/e.

ATTORNEY.

l a citizen of the United States, residing in the Tand more particularly to that class o I UNI` Ti5"""sTATEs PATENT OFFIOE.

CHARLES E. ATKINSON, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA. -ASSIGfNOR OF ONE- THIRD TO JOHN M. LONTZ AND ONE-THIRD TO ALEXANDER GORDON, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, CHARLES E. ATKINSON,

city of Richmond, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Cou ling Device, of which the following is a ful clear, and exact description and specification, which' when taken in connection with the accompan 'ng drawings, forming a art thereof, is sufirdiently concise as to enab e others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. My present invention relates to coiiplings, cou lin s designed for detachably connecting t e en of :wires and for making electrical connections in general.

The object of my invention, broadly speaking, is to provide a highly-eicient coupling for electric wires or the llke which will consist of a minimum of mechanical parts, be easy of installation and o eration, and which can be manufactured an sold at a comparatively low price.

A more specific object is the provision of a coupling for electric wires which may be used for connecting the ends thereof securely and firmly and at the same time will be easy of ydisconnection when desired; and, finally, my

object is to provide an electrical connection or coupling which will be simple in construction/and application, positive in its action, neat and attractive in appearance, and efficient in its operation.

Other objects and articular advantages will appear from the frdllowing specification, from the accompanying drawlngs; and from the claims hereunto appended.

The distinctive features'of my invention, briefly stated, consist of two interrelated members, which are termed the male and the female members, the novel means by which said members may be engaged and disengaged, and the means for permanently connecting an end of separate lengths of wire to each member, all of which will otherwhere be described in concrete detail in the course of this specification.

The preferred manner of the construction of my invention and that which in practice has been found the most practical is illus- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed Ootober 20, 1905. Serial No. 283,627.,

COUPLING DEVICE..v

PatentediNov. 6, 1906.

trated most clearly in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows aside elevation of my invention com lete and in operative engagement one mem er with the other. Fie'. 2 is a face view of the female member of the coupling separate. Fig.l 3 is a face view of the male member of the'cou lin separate. Fig. 4 is an' end View of the emaIe member. Fig. 5 is an end view of the male member, and Fig. 6 is an end view of thetwo members in engage- A forming an oblong coupling round in crosssection. The line of division between the two members is diagonal, extending longitudinally from end to end, thereby forming the wedge-shaped members A and B, substantially as shown in the drawings.

From the above it will be seen that the member A is provided with a face 1, and the member B is provided with a face 2, which two faces are on a common plane, but are formed on an angle with reference to the periphery of the respective members of which each is a part.

Sunk into the face of the member A, centrally and longitudinally thereof, is the slot 3, tapering slightly from its larger to its smaller end, which is of greater width at its base than at its mouth, caused by reason of the -undercut kerfs 3 and 3, and rising from the IOC r where 1t is secured 2o, vergingly together, and they can be wires from.. being y v.brouglit together formed to be neatly iayed4 together, the latter itting'into the. former. when the ends of the two members A and B are brought together evenwith eachl other, as shown in 5 Rigs. 1 and 6.

Extending longitudinally into the larger end of the member A is a round cavity aperture 5 to receive the bared end of the wire 6, where it isl secured by soldering (not shown) ro or otherwise permanently attached, being positioned 'substantially as shown, and likewise extending longitudinally into thev larger end of the member B is a round cavity aperture 7. to receive the bared end `of. the wire 8, by soldering. (not shown) ,or otherwisev A,permanently attached, being positioned substantially as shown.

` Fromfthe labove .it will be seen that the faces of the two members are dovetailed conse a- ,rated only4 by shpping. the faces a short dis- :tance -upon .each other in a direction that would move the ward. each other, and thereby preventinr the separated by pulling them epdlwise apart whenthe members are coue From the above description it is lapparent thatifseparated the two members may be face to face, first with the adjoining ends somewhat beyond each other .tothe point, for instance, where theends of e two wires would be even with each other,

slot 3, the faces of the members then contacting with each other, and then by moving the Wires 6 and 8 in an opposite direction from eachother the tongue and its flanges willtightly engage in the slot and its kerfs,

40 thus oouplingthe wires. and accomplishing .the object of the invention.

While I have illustrated and described the best means now known to me for carrying o ut the objects of my invention in a prac- ...tails of construction shown and described, .but hold that such 4changes or variations would `naturally suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic would clearly fall withinfthe limits and scope of my invention.

H aving tion, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is- A coupling device consisting of two segmental and complementary members divided longitudinally at an angle and dovetailed .convergently together in their contacting other and which are divided by contact-faces,

y memberwires. 6 and 8 endwise towhich faces are formed at anangle longitudi nally, said faces being dovetailed together longitudinally by a tapering ton ue and a tapering undercut slot ormed in t e respective male and female members, substantially as described.

A coupling device formed of a male and a female member adapted to be coupled and uncoupled manually, the male member hav- -in a tapering tongue extending lon itudina ly above its contact-face andthe emale having a tapering slot formed longitudinally in its contact-face to receive said tongue, and means for-connectingthe terminals of wires in each of said members, all substantially as set fort 4. A coupling device consisting in combination of two oppositely-disposed members eachhaving a wire-terminal secured therein and the members being separated by a common line disposed at an angle and an undercut taperingl slot formed in the face of one.'of

the members and a tapering tongue risin above the face of the other member and adapted to fit and interlock with said slot of the opposite member, substantially as shown and described and for the purposes set forth. 5. In a coupling device consisting. of two members each integral in itself and each having secured in one end the terminal each of a separate wire, the membersbeing joined on a line disposed at an angle lon itudinallyforming a contact-face ihr eadli member, and means for detachably connecting said faces which means consists of an undercut tapering slot formed longitudinally in the faceof one member and a tapering tongue-formed longitudinally in the face of the other member and adapted to fit said slot when the members are connected.

6. A coupl ing consisting of a cylindrical body divided on an angle lon itudinally into two separate members A and the member A having an undercut tapering slot extending from end to end centrally of its face, the member B having a diverging l.tapering tongue extending from end to end centrally of its face, said tongue being adapted to it said slot when the members arecoupled together.

7. A coupling for electric wires composed of two wedge-shaped members, each having at the larger end a wire socket, said members having engaging longitudinal dovetailed parts, which parts are wider at one end than at the other whereby increased strain on the wires increases the force of engagement between the parts. Y

In testimony whereof I have 4hereunto signed my naine to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. ATKINSON.

Witnesses:

ROBERT W. RANDLE, R. E. RANDLE.

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